It is unthinkable and impossible to continue consuming at this pace. That is why, more and more firms are considering creating their products while minimizing the impact on the planet. This is how the Sustainable Apparel Coalition (SAC) was born. It is an organization created in 2009 when the Walmart and Patagonia companies joined to create a valid tool to measure how sustainable fashion companies are. This works from distribution giants to small purist sustainable brands. They (the Sustainable Apparel Coalition) created the Higg index. This is an indicator that defines what is sustainable in order to get to know what is good in this area and what is not, where to go, discover what can be improved, and what challenges to face in the future.
Therefore, from the moment in which it was created, the Sustainable Apparel Coalition’s goal has been to bring together the entire fashion industry to start making these changes. For now, the organization already has 180 members among which we can find giants such as Inditex, H&M, Gap, Fast Retailing, Spirit, Nike, Adidas, Marks& Spencer, Levi’s, Burberry or Kering.
On February 20th, the first Sustainable Apparel Coalition was held in Europe and the chosen city was Milan. A meeting that revolved around the management of chemicals and the environmental impact of the textile industry and the improvements that are being carried out.
Save the planet
Using the hashtag #SaveThePlanet the sustainable brand Bourdeaux The Brand, one of the firms that takes the most serious step to reduce the impact on nature, has launched its new collection: solidarity, ecological and respectful with the environment to support Greenpeace in their fight to protect the planet.
T-shirts from the Tropicalia collection with drawings by the illustrator Inma Mendieta SS18.
Shirts are made with 100% organic cotton. Sweatshirts (#savetheforest and #savetheocean) are made of recycled materials with plastic bottle fibers. They also have the Fair Wear Foundation, GOTS, the Carbon Trust and Confidence in Textiles certificates.
Garments that, by comparing their processes with conventional methods of energy in the textile industry, have managed to reduce 90% of carbon emissions.
From each unisex t-shirt from the #SaveThePlanet line, €5 go to Greenpeace.
But there is much more. Bourdeaux goes much further taking into account the inks used to dye the clothes; vinyls have the Oeko-Tex Standard Class I certificate. For each garment bought, you will be donating 5 euros to Greenpeace helping to save the forests and oceans. The #SaveTheForest and #SaveTheOcean hashtags are dedicated to forests and whales.
Stella McCartney’s commitment
The firm Stella McCartney is committed to the idea of operating in a modern and responsible business.
We are agents of change. We challenge and exceed the limits to manufacture luxury products that adapt to the world in which we live and in the future: beautiful and sustainable
Stella McCartney has been doing ethical fashion since 2001. Picture of the Paris Fall 2018 Fashion Show. Photographer: Pascal Le Segretain / Getty Images
For Stella McCartney, every decision we make is a symbol of our commitment to define our future as well as the future of fashion.
Save the MED
Med winds was born in the Raval neighborhood of Barcelona as a Mediterranean-inspired brand that works with small factories and workshops in the Mediterranean, Spain and Italy, in addition to using local fabrics and materials. They are convinced that is the passion of the people, who make each of their products day by day, that makes the result unique, that is, imperfect but of great quality.
Garments of the Med winds 2018 collection
Their imagination revolves around the Mediterranean philosophy; that is why they collaborate and support non-profit organizations that fight to preserve the Mediterranean coast. In addition, they have the valuable help of local artisans to develop very limited series and special products for each trip they make.
The sustainable alternative to virgin cotton
The Spanish firm Skunkfunk, created in the Basque Country, is inspired by the urban spirit, minimalism, geometry and contemporary art to create each collection which is produced and supplied in a sustainable way in Europe, India and China. Its creations are Zero Waste and respectful with to environment. They are based on the idea of using every inch of the fabric roll without generating waste. In addition, the fabrics used come from fibers with low environmental impact, with recycled organic cotton labels and packed in reused boxes and bags created with bioplastic.
Dress from the SS18 collection by Skunkfunk.
High-performance garments made with bags
Adidas is also contributing its bit to dress with conscience. The firm collaborates with Parley, a platform in which creators, thinkers and leaders come together to maintain the beauty of oceans, preventing plastic waste from contaminating our oceans and transforming them into high-performance sports garments.
Adidas wants to turn the problem into a solution.
Extending the fashion life cycle
The Dutch duo Viktor & Rolf announced during the Bread & Butter Festival by Zalando their new collaboration with the e-commerce giant to unite fashion and sustainability: create an eco-conscious capsule collection made from the remains of Zalando’s stocks. Re:Cycle is the name of this collection of women’s clothing that explores the ecological design and recycling of garments.
This is just a small step to accelerate and encourage circular fashion. This has the aim of further reducing the carbon footprint in the industry and helping consumers make more sustainable purchasing decisions. “We are excited about this collaboration, to make the spirit of sustainable fashion known in a bold and accessible way by instilling new life into forgotten garments,” the designers explain.
Collection SS18 by Viktor & Rolf.
A collection that combines the great designs of Viktor & Rolf with the design of the recycled garments giving rise to A-skirts, printed T-shirts and sweatshirts with decorations with prices ranging from 112 to 312 dollars. “By partnering with Viktor&Rolf, we are offering our consumers a conscious style. It’s amazing how they transform old clothes into something new and beautiful,” explains Yolanda Smit, Director of Brand Relations Marketing at Zalando, “their creations go beyond haute couture to re-imagine fashion“.
Much more than sustainability
Cus is a Catalan firm based in Barcelona, where they design and create their designs hand in hand with all manufacturers. The garments are made in Alicante, just three hours away, with the aim of controlling the production process when necessary. Their fabrics are all made in the European Union and all the people involved in their production processes are protected by EU legislation.
Each of their garments are made with yarns that come from textile waste becoming a recycled yarn that is finally woven into a new fabric. A striking fact about their garments is that they are manufactured by women at risk of social exclusion, giving them the opportunity to have a better life in their community.
